Lighting and ignition system for automobiles



March 13, 1934. c. H. BRASELTON 1,950,445

LIGHTING AND IGNITION SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed 001;. 21, 1930 Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING AND IGNITION SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the lighting and ignition system of automobiles, and contemplates particularly, improvements in automobile electric systems which will facilitate driving in fogs and heavy mists where visibility is low.

When driving automobiles in heavy mists, the operator is confronted with the difliculty of clearly visualizing stationary or moving objects in the roadway ahead of him. This difficulty is increased by the scattering of brilliant white light of the ordinary headlight as it is reflected on the fog or mist particles. This scattering or absorp tion of light energy lessens visibility not only from absorption of the light beams, but also because of reflection into the eyes of the operator.

Another difiiculty experienced in automobile driving is failure of the ignition in the engine cylinders, due to lowering the voltage of the terminal, or to increase of resistance at the spark plug terminals, preventing a normal discharge.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an electric system for automobiles which will make possible the use of a lamp in conjunction with the ordinary lighting means which sends out rays not readily reflected on mist particles. It is another object of the invention to provide an auxiliary lighting means usable in fogs which derives current from the usual electric ignition system of an automobile.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting means which cooperates with the ignition system of an automobile and tends to increase the efi'iciency of the same. Still another object of the invention is to provide a lamp of the tubular type having an elongated light source as distinguished from a point source.

Other objects will become apparent on consideration of the following description and of the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view of a headlamp reflector in which is mounted a coiled neon tube;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation 01' the lamp of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are views of a modification showing combined neon and white lights.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown a reflector 10 adapted to be inserted in the headlamp of an automobile. This reflector is of the parabolic type having a common axis 11 and coiled about this axis 11 is a tube 12 01' glass or similar transparent material. This tube may be concentric or coiled in spiral form, either in a single plane or as a cone with the base of the cone preferably toward the front of the lamp.

The diameter of the tube may vary considerably,

although it is preferable that the diameter be small so as to permit a tubular coil which may be positioned as closely as possible in the focal point of the paraboloid reflector. At its ends this tube has electrodes 13 and 14, and within the tube is 0 neon gas. Supporting means 15 and 16 are provided which may also be electrical conductors and which are connected to the lamp base 17. Through these conductors the appropriate electric potential may be applied to the lamp to cause the formation of a luminous discharge throughout the tube interior, this illumination having a reddish tint, characteristic of neon gas.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing, the connections to the neon lamp 12 are apparent. As is well known, the breakdown potential of a neon tube is ordinarily in excess of the low voltages utilized in automobile electrical systems for starting and lighting. A secondary of the ignition coil, however, provides a potential source which, 76 if available, would successfully operate a neon lamp. As shown in the diagram, the neon lamp 12 is grounded at one end, and at the other end is connected in series through a switch 20 to the secondary 21 of the ignition system. The switch 80 20 is also provided with a ground circuit 22 so that the secondary discharge of the ignition may be either through the ground circuit 22 or through the neon lamp. To the other end of the secondary 21, connection is made to the distributor arm 23, 86 which is adapted to contact with the various grounded spark plug circuits 24.

The various other parts of the electrical circuit are more or less conventional. For completeness I have illustrated a complete two unit 90 starting, lighting and ignition system including the generator 25, cut-out switch 26, storage battery 27, starting motor 28, ignition interrupter 29 and primary and ignition coil 30. There is also shown a two filament lamp bulb 31 in the re- 96 ilector 10, so that either simultaneously or alternatively the white light 31 or the red light 12 may be activated.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing 1 have illustrat ed partly in section a combined white and red 100 lamp including the ordinary headlamp bulb 31, provided with tungsten filaments 32 and the additional neon lamp 12 circumferentially mounted and lying within a plane perpendicular to the axis of the lamp 31.

From the foregoing it may be seen that I have provided an electrical system which includes various improvements over that now in common use. In the arrangement described, a resistance in the shape of a neon lamp is provided in the 110 nit which increases the breakdown he spark plug gaps, and thus insures a under extraordinary, as well as ordinary operating conditions. Through the arrangement described, also, it is made possible for the operator to have available illumination with long wave penetrating rays for use in driving in fogs or to prevent glare in heavy tramc. Both lights may be used simultaneously when the maximum of illumination is desired.

A further feature of the arrangement is the utilization of a common source of electrical energy for lamps requiring widely different applied voltages, such as tungsten and neon lamps.

While I have described an auxiliary lamp as utilizing neon, it is, of course, within the scope of the invention to use other gases, such as a mix ture of neon and helium or argon gas, or various mixtures of the mercury vapors or other meta1 vapors.

Various other adaptations and utilizations of lamps of this type and modifications of the structure of the lamps themselves will be apparent to those familiar with automobile lighting systems, and hence I do not desire to be limited to the modifications shown except as such limitations are imposed by the claims hereto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automobile headlight a reflector havignition ing a focal plane, an incandescent filament electric lamp mounted within said reflector and having the filament therein lying substantially within the focal plane, a gaseous discharge lamp surrounding said first mentioned lamp and lying substantially in the focal plane of the reflector and symmetrical to the axis of said reflector, a base, means to secure said electric lamp in said base, a pair of rods extending outwardly from said base and having their ends connected to the terminals of said gaseous discharge lamp, said rods forming a support for said gaseous discharge lamp, and terminals in said base connected to said rods whereby electrical connection to said discharge lamp is made to said base.

2. In an automobile headlight a reflector having a focal plane, an incandescent filament electric lamp mounted within said reflector and having the filament therein lying substantially in the focal plane, a tubular gaseous discharge lamp surrounding said first mentioned lamp and lying substantially in the focal plane of the reflector and symmetrical to the axis of said reflector, a base, terminals in said base, and means connected directly to said base terminals for forming a combined support and electrical circuit for said gaseous discharge lamp.

CHESTER H. BRASELTON. 

